Systems and methods for creating a custom approach procedure are provided. The systems and methods receive a plurality of user entered waypoints constituting a provisional custom approach procedure from a user interface. A three-dimensional (3D) flight path is constructed connecting the way points with the constraint that the 3D flight path is a descent path with no climb segments. Terrain data along the 3D flight path is obtained from a terrain database. The 3D flight path is assessed with respect to the terrain data to detect one or more terrain conflicts. An output is generated and provided to the user interface based on the detected one or more terrain conflicts.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the output includes an advisory of terrain conflict.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the output includes inserting the at least one of the lateral constraint, the altitude constraint and the flight path angle constraint for the one or more of the waypoints or other part of the 3D flight path to remove the one or more terrain conflicts.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the terrain data is arranged in grid cells, the grid cells associated with the 3D flight path are determined, peak terrain elevation data for each grid cell is extracted from the terrain database as the terrain data and the assessing includes assessing with respect to peak terrain elevation data.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein constructing and reconstructing the 3D flight path includes factoring in at least one of: temperature compensated altitudes, any degraded aircraft performances, weather and flying restrictions.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the output includes a vertical situation interactive display configured to receive vertical revisions to the 3D flight path.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the vertical revisions include at least one of angle, altitude and steps.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the vertical situation interactive display includes a depiction of the terrain data.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the terrain data is arranged in grid cells of adaptable resolution and wherein the terrain data is called with a grid resolution based on required navigation performance.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing the 3D flight path with respect to the terrain data to detect the one or more terrain conflicts includes comparing terrain height plus a safety margin with the 3D flight path.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the safety margin is adapted based on accuracy of navigation performance.
12. The method of claim 1, comprising submitting, via the at least one processor, the terrain deconflicted custom approach procedure to a Flight Management System of the aircraft.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the plurality of user entered waypoints includes allowing user entry of waypoints by a rubber banding technique.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the constructing the three-dimensional (3D) flight path begins at a final leg connecting a landing site and a final waypoint and wherein the assessing, generating, receiving and reconstructing are performed by sequential back propagation from the final leg.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the output includes an advisory of terrain conflict.
18. The system of claim 16, wherein the terrain data is arranged in grid cells, the grid cells associated with the 3D flight path are determined, peak terrain elevation data for each grid cell is extracted from the terrain database as the terrain data and the assessing step includes assessing with respect to peak terrain elevation data.
19. The system of claim 16, wherein receiving the plurality of user entered waypoints includes allowing user entry of waypoints by a rubber banding technique.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
April 20, 2022
December 24, 2024
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.